Prince Harry deviated from royal tradition to take a selfie with a young fan who lost his mother

During the recent royal tour, he stopped to take a selfie with a young boy.
Eddie Mulholland/Getty

While in Auckland, New Zealand, Prince Harry broke protocol to comfort a young fan whose mom recently passed away.

The Duke of Sussex reportedly delivered encouraging words to 6-year-old Otia Nante during a stop at Auckland's Viaduct Harbor.

Having lost his own mother 21 years ago, the duke has previously spoken out about losing his mother and keeping her legacy alive with his own charity initiatives.

Although it's not a strict rule, Prince Harry and other members of the royal family typically avoid taking selfies. But, on Tuesday, day 15 of the current royal tour, the father-to-be broke royal protocol for a very sweet reason.

People reported that Prince Harry consoled the young boy, telling him, "Life will always be alright. You know that? I've made it to 34 years old, and life is great. I have a beautiful wife and a baby on the way. Your life is going to be sorted. Don't you worry about that."

Although royal family members typically avoid posing for photos with fans, the duke made an exception for Nante and took a selfie with him.

Prince Harry's mother, Princess Diana, was tragically killed in a car accident 21 years ago when he was only 12 years old

Prince Harry with Princess Diana in 1987. AP/John Redman Prince Harry has previously spoken out about how difficult it was to lose his mother and he has carried on her legacy in many ways.

"I can safely say that losing my mum at the age of 12, and therefore shutting down all of my emotions for the last 20 years, has had a quite serious effect on not only my personal life but my work as well," he told Telegraph in 2017. He also added that he eventually sought support, and he's lucky he learned to talk about his feelings.

The duke also told Telegraph that because of what he went through, he's "been able to put blood, sweat, and tears into the things that really make a difference." And he has — throughout his charity initiatives, the duke has found numerous ways to pay homage to his late mother.

Recently, Prince Harry announced a partnership with singer Elton John, an AIDS initiative aimed at expanding the diagnoses and treatment of HIV infections in men with the goal of ultimately eradicating AIDS by 2030. In 1987, Princess Diana famously made headlines for being the first royal family member to make contact with a patient diagnosed with AIDS.